The legend of John Unitas’ first NFL pass begins this way. When starting quarterback George Shaw injured his leg in Week 4 against the Bears on Oct. 21, 1956, Unitas entered the game and proceeded to throw an interception that J.C. Caroline returned 59 yards for a touchdown.
Colts teammates remember it this way. Countless articles have retold the story this way. The Pro Football Hall of Fame also believes this was Unitas’ first pass.
Unitas told that story too. In an interview with the Chicago Tribune published Oct. 23, 1991, he said: “I have to thank the Bears for giving me my start. I played in my first game as a Colt in Wrigley Field in 1956. The Bears broke George Shaw’s leg, and I was the backup. My first pass went for a touchdown. Unfortunately, it went the wrong way. J.C. Caroline intercepted me and returned it for one.”
But Unitas actually played before that Bears game. He played in the opener against Chicago on Sept. 30, 1956, but didn’t attempt a pass. His first pass attempt came the following week, at home against Detroit on Oct. 6, according to the Colts, the Elias Sports Bureau and “The Pro Football Chronicle.”
He didn’t play in Week 3, then got his big break when Shaw got hurt. Shaw never regained the starting job, and Unitas became one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.
But nobody seems to recall that game against Detroit.
“I never knew that one,” said Chad Unitas, one of his sons. “He always used to tell us his first pass was intercepted by J.C. Caroline. Then he came back and had another interception, then he fumbled. I said, ‘Good start, Pop.’ Then he would say, ‘Yeah but I finished pretty strong.’ “
